Wednesday, September 27, 2006 Farmer killed in Sagay City
A 50-YEAR-old farmer was brutally killed by still unidentified suspects, his body dumped near a rice field in Sitio Mahogany, Barangay Puey, Sagay City Tuesday morning.
Operatives of the Sagay City Police Office identified the body as that of Emilio Opinio, a resident of Sitio Bago, Barangay Makiling in Sagay.
PO3 Romeo Taguiwalo, Sagay City Police Office desk officer, said Opinio sustained wounds in the different parts of his body, his face was mutilated while his fingers were severed. He also had abrasions in his legs.
Taguiwalo said the victim's body was discovered by his sister, Sandra Escala, beside the canal near the ricefield owned by Esting Javelosa at about 7 a.m. Tuesday.
Initial Police investigation showed that the victim was tortured before he was killed.
Escala told the police that her brother was abducted by eight unidentified suspects at 12 noon of September 25.
The victim's wife Violeta, 53, believed his husband was abducted by members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).
She told the police that her husband received death threats from the unknown suspects.
Meanwhile, Philippine Army's Task Group North commander Felicisimo Budiongan alleged that members of the Larangang Gerilya 3 (LG-3) of the Komite Rehiyunal-Negros (KR-N) abducted Opinio.
Budiongan said Opinio was invited by the suspects led by alias "Sakay." An Amazon identified as Mary Grace Delicana was also seen with the group, he added.
He said the group was following orders from KR-N secretary Frank Fernandez.
However, 1st Provincial Mobile Group commander Eduardo Ordaniel claimed otherwise. He said the victim was not killed by the rebels.
Ordaniel said a land conflict was behind the gruesome killing as their investigation showed.
Budiongan, on the other hand, said Opinio was killed by the rebels who identified him be a sympathizer of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB).
He appealed to the militant leaders in Negros Occidental to assist the widow and the orphaned children of the victim in filing charges against the suspects.
The case is still under investigation by the Sagay police station. (RLB)
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